FINA President: “We are witnessing a great Championships!”

In a Press Conference before the start of the Swimming competition of the 14th FINA World Championships Shanghai 2011, the FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione expressed his satisfaction by the level of performances achieved during the first week of FINA’s major event. “Our athletes are in great shape and are very well prepared, and the competition is of high level,” said Dr. Maglione.

The FINA President also highlighted the TV production plan from the Host Broadcaster of the championships, CCTV: “Their coverage is exceeding the Olympic standard in Aquatics, which shows our Sport in a complete new dimension – the best example of that is the ultra slow motion possibility, a technical advancement capable of processing more than 800 frames per second”.

Finally, Dr. Julio C. Maglione recalled the positive outcome of the FINA Extraordinary Congress, held on July 21. “The proposals of the Bureau to change our Constitution were approved by an almost unanimous vote. All the procedure and all the discussion around this very important matter were democratic, transparent, and were held in a context of unity and harmony between FINA and its 202 National Member Federations,” he concluded.

Media present at this FINA Press Conference had also the opportunity to ask Dr. Andrew Pipe, Chairman of FINA’s Doping Control Board about the details of the anti-doping control programme at these Championships. Explanations on the blood tests carried out in Shanghai as well as the creation of the biological passport were also given by Dr. Pipe.

Finally, FINA Executive Director Cornel Marculescu informed the media about the research that FINA and the IOC Sports Department will undergo with a Universaity in New Zealand on the determination of the upper limit of the water temperature at open water events. “This study will be finished by the end of 2011, and its conclusions will be reflected on the 2012 rules for this discipline,” revealed Mr. Marculescu.